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Rare bean, extremely sweet and low in caffeine drives international demand and can be worth up to 50 times more than traditional arabica
The high-value specialty coffee market has returned to the global radar in 2024, even after the drop in traditional coffee prices compared to the records of 2023. In this context, a Brazilian producer from Minas Gerais has begun to expand the commercialization of eugenioides coffee, a rare ancestral variety with the potential to reach up to $20,000 per sack. Furthermore, the strategy highlights the growing demand for exclusive coffees, even with the decline of the broader market.
According to information reported by the producer, the current harvest could reach R$ 1 million with just 10 sacks of 60 kilos, reinforcing the positioning of eugenioides as one of the most valued coffees in the world. At the same time, the price scenario for arabica in 2024 recorded a drop, being traded close to $400 per sack, which further widens the gap between the segments.
Premium market for rare coffees gains strength with Brazilian product
Currently, Luiz Paulo Dias Pereira Filho, a fourth-generation producer, leads the only known commercial plantation of eugenioides in Brazil. In this sense, the bean is starting to occupy a strategic space in the premium segment, mainly due to its rarity and sensory differentiation.
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Historically, sales have already reached demanding markets, such as Taiwan and Saudi Arabia. In 2023, for example, three sacks were sold for R$ 90,000 each, which already indicated the growing interest in the product. Thus, eugenioides can reach up to 50 times the value of arabica, establishing itself as a luxury item in the coffee sector.
Unique characteristics elevate the value of eugenioides in the global market
The differential of eugenioides is directly linked to its sensory profile. According to the producer, the coffee exhibits intense sweetness and virtually no bitterness, making it unusual among traditional varieties. Additionally, the caffeine level is extremely low, being considered close to decaffeinated coffee.
According to Kim Ionescu, director of strategy development at the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA), the current interest in eugenioides resembles the early appreciation of geisha coffee in the 2000s. In this context, the combination of rarity and exclusive flavor strengthens the perception of a luxury product, especially among specialized consumers.
Limited production and sensitive cultivation restrict expansion
Despite the potential for appreciation, the production of eugenioides faces significant limitations. Currently, the plants exhibit low productivity and high sensitivity to climate, which requires careful and constant management.
In an area of approximately five hectares, the expectation is only two sacks per hectare, a volume that represents less than one-tenth of the average productivity of arabica coffee. Furthermore, the absence of genetic improvement increases the complexity of cultivation, raising the costs and risks involved.
According to the producer, there are only a few farms in the world attempting to cultivate eugenioides commercially, which further reinforces the exclusivity of the product in the international market.
Demand for specialty coffees sustains high prices even with market retreat
Even with the global market contraction in 2024, the niche specialty coffee segment maintains a consistent growth pace. In this scenario, rare products like eugenioides continue to attract international buyers, interested in differentiated and exclusive sensory experiences.
Thus, the combination of scarcity, unique profile, and limited production sustains high prices, consolidating the ancestral coffee as a high-value asset within the sector. At the same time, the growing interest reinforces a global trend of valuing rare coffees, even in the face of fluctuations in the traditional market.
In light of this consistent advancement, to what extent can ancestral coffees like eugenioides redefine Brazil’s global positioning in the premium coffee segment?
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